Don't own Chuck
Mike got off the horn with Langley he could tell Margo was pissed and she didn't try to hide it. They didn't say a word to each other as they walked over to the elevator and go on. Margo pushed the button and they started going up. The silence in the elevator became deafening and the air was so heavy until finally Mike couldn't take it anymore.
"Listen I know you're angry but don't be angry with me. We'll do this calmly and in the comfort of the suite. I'm sure everything is going to be okay."
"This whole thing is ridiculous is what it is. Razhib was a boy when he was with the Toy Maker and a household servant… a fancy word for a slave. There's no way he's connected to this Ali the Persian."
"I agree but we have to dot our i's and cross our t's. Besides Razhib could be in trouble if Ali thinks Razhib has made him... he might try to silence him."
"That's true," said Margo. "To think Sam kicked him in the shin… things could've gone badly for her if he'd had time to react."
"But he didn't. Actually, what she did was to give you enough time to get off the elevator and both of you to get away. I'm sure he wasn't expecting to be attacked by a five-year-old. Never has it been so true that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
"I'm having a hard time seeing this from your perspective. To me Sam is in need of some discipline and this just showed how out of control she can be."
"Well I think we can agree to disagree. You're probably going to hear things that you won't like. Remember, I mean well and these are questions that have to be asked."
"Already I don't like them and I don't know what they are. Just remember if you start badgering Razhib I am packing heat."
"And you remember that the General told me to do this interrogation by myself and that you were expressly told not to be present."
"Yeah like I was going to let that happen," said Margo as the bell rang and the doors open. She took a deep breath as they stepped off. "Here goes nothing," she said as they walked down to the suite. Emma looked at the two of them when they walked in and recognized the serious look on their faces immediately.
"Is there something wrong with Sarah or Chuck? I want to know first before you talk to the kids," said Emma as she blocked their way.
"No, it doesn't have to do with them. We need to talk to Razhib out here. Where is he?" asked Margo looking around.
"I think they're all in with Sam. I was looking after Bunny and when I came out they were gone then I heard their voices coming from Sam's room. What's going on?"
"We just need to talk to him," said Margo. Mike cleared his throat. "Mike needs to talk to him. Can you do us a favor and keep Molly and Sam in her room?"
"Sure but I don't like the looks on your faces. You look like the police who used to bring Sarah home after they arrested her father. Then they'd give me a lecture about keeping her out of trouble."
"We just need to talk to him. It's really nothing," said Mike as he tried to downplay it. "But it's for his own good and safety."
"Yes and they usually said something like that too. Okay, I'll go get him but Margo you are his de facto Mom. I expect you to act like it and if you have a doubt what to do you always side with your kid even when you know they're wrong. You can always tell them how you really feel later. Mike, if this is anything else… well that boy is family. You'll answer to me and that goes for the General too."
" How'd you know…" said Mike. He was perplexed how she knew this was from the General and if the truth were known he felt a little intimidated too.
"Just remember what I said."
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Abu left Ettore and walked back the long passageway towards the comm room. He needed to check in but he had put it off as long as he could. Now he had no choice but call in. He had no idea what to expect but one thing was sure he was in no mood to take crap from some old man anymore who had no clue how the modern world operated. The intersect was the fruit of the forbidden tree and had opened his eyes to just how backwards the people leading the Hashishim were.
"I need you to put me through to Alamut," said Abu as he walked in the door. "Then I'm going to need the room for a bit. Everyone can wait outside or grab a coffee and come back. I just need for you all to clear out."
"Yes sir," said the watch officer as he personally put the call through for Abu. It didn't take long to get a reply. "Sir your party is on monitor one."
"Good now I need the room," said Abu as he went to the control panel and pulled up a chair. In the meantime, the men inside filed out giving him the room.
An elderly middle Eastern man came on the screen. The scowl look he gave Abu told him the old man was not happy with him. But he didn't care.
"Abu, what are you doing? For centuries, we've lived in the shadows and have had no problems. You come along and in a few weeks, we're on the lips of every clandestine agency. Our people are systematically being picked up in Iran. Now I hear the Americans are examining their ranks too. Tell me there's a method to your madness because I'm having a hard time seeing it."
"It's easy. I'm taking us out of the shadows and projecting us into the light of day. I'm taking his out of the Eleventh century and bring us into the Twentieth. Your era is over and mine is just beginning."
"Be careful what you say next Abu you're treading on dangerous ground. I am still the head of this organization and you my little twerp still work for me. I've given you a lot of latitude... maybe too much but this is it. I will be sending someone to replace you when you arrive at your new destination. In the meantime, I want you to pack everything up you can grab then move out."
"But we're near completion. Just a day or two more and we'll be ready to launch. Then we can have everything I promised you."
"But at what cost Abu? The authorities have discovered your location and are about to level your island so you're on borrowed time as it is. Let me make this clear for you I want you to load the warhead back on our submarine and leave. Forget the missile and go. Am I clear?"
"Yes, as clear as a bell. Thank you I know exactly what I have to do. Does the rest of the council feel the same? I want to know to prepare myself."
"I'm afraid they do. We will be meeting soon to discuss you. I can't promise the outcome but I will do what I can do."
"That's all I can ask for. So everyone is already there... my friends and my enemies," asked Abu. He had another idea in mind.
"There are no enemies within the faithful but yes everyone is here and the meeting will take place after prayer. You've been a loyal member of our organization and I'm sure we can find some place for you afterwards."
"I'm sure you will... I mean I appreciate anything you can do for me. I need to run and get things prepared for departure."
"Very good. You're taking this quite well... better than I expected. This will speak will for you during out council meeting. I'll let you go then," said the old man then the screen went blank.
"Like hell I'm going to pack up and run back to a sure firing squad or worse. There'll be a cold day in a very hot place before that happens," said Abu as he walked out. "Okay everyone back to work I'm done."
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Mike and Margo sat with Razhib in the common room talking with him while Emma kept Sam and Molly busy in Sam's room. However, as this was going on Emma heard Bunny crying in the baby monitor so she had to leave the girls alone to take care of her. She told the girls to stay put and that she would be right back but as soon as Emma was gone Sam broke out her stethoscope so she could give Molly a blow by blow of what was going on.
"Mike's asking him if he recognized anyone lately that he knew? What kind of question is that? Why doesn't he come right out and ask him about Ali?"
"And you think Razhib is going to admit that he knows him? He only told us to keep us safe and he made us swear not to say anything."
"I had my fingers crossed so it doesn't count and if he's so stubborn as to get himself in trouble then I'm telling. He can be mad at me all he wants but I'm not going to let him get into trouble over something he didn't do."
"I agree with you. But what are the saying?"
[Meanwhile on the other side of the door]
"Razhib, you say you haven't recognized anyone you know. But I talked with Frank and he said you rode in the elevator with him and this man was on it," said Mike as he laid out a photo of Ali. "He even said you two had a conversation."
"So I talk with a lot of people. What is this? Some sort of interrogation. Sam was right when she said you people are fascist."
"We're not fascists we're just trying to get to the bottom of who this man is. We know he was a student of the Toy Maker when you were there and that it would only be natural if you two became friends."
"Friends... the two of us... so Margo what do you have to say about this? Do you want to know if we're friends?"
"Razhib, I just want you to tell us what you know and answer Mike's questions... I want what's best for you. You have to believe that."
"Have you been in contact with Ali before you met on the elevator? Did he or anyone ask you to do anything for them?"
"What are you talking about? Do something for them?" asked Razhib. Sam from the other side of the door understood where he was going with his questioning and she didn't like it.
"Razhib, I know you've been in touch with your father's family in Tunis and you've made calls to Morocco," said Margo. Razhib turned beet red with anger.
"Have you been listening in on my conversations? You deny what Sam call you guys but your actions say another thing. If you listened into my conversations, then you know what I said. If you're having trouble translating them ask Chuck or Sarah they're the only people who trust me."
"Oh that's so not true," said Sam as she listened from the other side of the door. Molly looked puzzled at here. "Shush, I'll explain later. It's getting hot in there."
"Okay if not your family then the girl you're seeing in old town. The girl, you're slipping out to see. Did she or her parents ask you to get some things for her or them? And before you answer I can have her brought in for questioning."
"No, then you'll ruin everything. Okay you want to ruin my life... my existence then I did it. Whatever you think I did I did it. This is it for me from now on you people are dead to me."
"I'm sorry but I have to ask this are you admitting to stealing weapons from the armory and giving them to your friend Ali? Did he ask you to buy plastic explosives... Semtex for him?"
"No he didn't," yelled Sam as she ran out of the room. "You leave him alone before you get a beating you'll never forget." Sam flew into the room with fists up.
"Sam!" yelled Emma as she came in hearing her granddaughter yelling holding Bunny. "You get back in your room right now young lady. I'll deal with you..."
"No I won't... I'm sorry but Razhib is taking the blame for something he didn't do. The man you're looking for is one of the busboys. I heard him talking with Ali when I sneaked out."
"Why didn't you say anything before now?" asked Margo. Mike had a face that said he wasn't convinced.
"Listen bucko, I'm telling the truth and I would've told you earlier but you put me in time out before I could explain. I wanted to tell you on elevator but I saw Ali talking to the busboy that I recognized from his shoes. Then he got on the elevator with us and I couldn't very well tell everything I knew then. Before I could open my mouth mister personality would've tried to stop me and someone would've ended up hurt."
"Sam stop for a moment and go back to the beginning. Start over and tell us how everything went but take a breath first."
"Okay so I snuck out of here then went down the stairs to the fifth floor. There I got on a serving cart hiding under the bottom. The busboy came out and he talked about getting Semtex for a guy that I later found out was Ali," said Sam as she went through the whole story. "... then I kicked him as hard as I could in the shin. I knew he wouldn't expect it and that way we both got away."
"And I told you that it was very stupid," said Ali. "Ali is a very bad man but not just bad. The man is sick and he likes hurting people. Sam pissed him off and he won't forget or forgive that."
"So what! If he wants some of this, he knows where he can come. The bigger they are the harder they fall."
"You and I need to have a talk about your language," said Emma as she rocked Bunny. "So are we in danger here?"
"We need to find this busboy and pick up Ali," said Margo. "I think I'd like to move everyone down to the Dungeon for the time being."
"You sure you trust me down there or do you want to put me in a detention cell," said Razhib. "Sam tell them about the animal planet and the elephants."
"They never forget. But you can't put Molly and me in that category. We've been the victims of fascist police too."
"Yes we are definitely going to have to work on your language. This misunderstanding can be worked out later. For now, we need to move someplace safer."
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Abu made his way back down to the laboratory thinking and when he walked in he found Ettore with a cold pack on his forehead and Chuck was up in the missile housing assembly. Ettore was snoring when he walked in. He walked over to a workbench picked up a hammer then went back over to Ettore and dropped it. It made a loud bang he jumped up tripping over his prosthetic leg and fell face first.
"You call that working," said Abu as Chuck laughed from above. "Cone down I want to talk with you face to face. I need this thing to launch in a half hour…. No excuses and before you say anything come down and let's talk."
"That was a lousy trick to play on a partner," said Ettore as he tried to get up. Abu helped but as he did he took Ettore's weapons from him. "Hey give that back."
"I'm sorry I'm dissolving our partnership now. You," said Abu to one of the guards. "Take Ettore to Chuck's cell."
"You can't do this to me," protested Ettore but events proved him wrong. The guard grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along. "Hey watch the threads. I don't know what you're up to but this isn't over yet." He yelled as the guard escorted him of the lab.
"I guess he should've seen that coming," said Chuck as he climbed down and walked over to Abu. "So what do you want me to do? I can't guarantee anything in the time frame you want."
"Oh I think you can," said Abu. "Just wait until you hear what I have to tell you. But before that I want everyone out of here right now except for me and Chuck. Move out now you can take a break. Go have a smoke or grab a cup of coffee."
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Sarah and Anatoly follow Grigor down a long winding passageway that seemed to go all the way down to the very center of the earth. It went around and around until they felt like they were chasing their own tails. And just when they were about to call a halt to this they heard voices coming from up ahead.
"Shush," said Grigor. "There's the guard that watches the door to the prison cells. I've been this far before. He has to call another guard inside to let him in..."
"The door looks like steel. We could take out the guard and try to open the door but it will take time and I'm not sure if we'll have enough."
"And who knows what the guard inside will do to the prisoners before we can get the door open. I bet he's got orders to execute them."
"No, you can't let him do that. You promised to rescue my father not to get him and everyone else with him killed."
"Yes Grigor I remember. Don't worry I've got an idea. But first we're going to need that guy's clothes," said Sarah as she pulled her knife. She wasn't going to get more than one chance but she had to take it. Looking at the knife she flashed then she rolled out and threw it. The startled guard saw a blur of movement but before he could raise his weapon Sarah's knife caught him between the eyes and it was lights out.
"Grigor you stay here," said Anatoly as the two of them ran to the downed guard and stripped him. "Okay we have his clothes..."
"And now you put them on. Next we'll knock on the door and you'll tell them you have a prisoner that needs to be locked up... me..."
"I get it once he opens the door we can overpower him then release everyone. Not a bad plan. Very good I'm impressed."
"Don't be. We did this same thing to break in to a clandestine prison run by Alexei Volkoff to rescue Chuck's mother. I wished I'd left her there sometimes. What's taking so long? Change and let's go."
"You turn around first I'm a married man. Who do you think I am?"
"Sorry, I didn't mean for you to think that I thought you were... well easy," said Sarah as she stifled a laugh and smiled like the Cheshire cat.
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Back in Montenegro Ali took the elevator down to the lobby. Jack was walking through when he saw him step off then walk over to the reception desk to check out. Jack hung back and looked over the woman's shoulder as Ali settled his bill.
"I'm sorry to see you leave so soon," said Jack. "I hope everything was to your liking during your stay with us."
"Yes everything was just fine. But I got called by my home office and they ordered me back home. It seems that the business we had here was tanked. But things like this do happen... rarely that is but they do."
"I hope you'll come back and stay with us again soon. We do aim to please," said Jack as he played cat and mouse with Ali.
"Who knows what the future has in store for us. We could all be gone tomorrow but if I'm passing through I just might stop by. I have to say I found something here I didn't think I would find. But I have to go I have a car waiting for me outside."
"Can I help you with your bags?" said Jack as he waved for one of the bellhops to come over. "It's really no problem."
"No, I can manage by myself. You know in the airports they ask you if you were the only person who's handled your bag. I prefer to be able to tell them in all honest 'yes just me'. Thank you again Mr. Burton," said Ali as he shook Jack's hand then left.
Jack stood there watching Ali leave then disappear out of sight. Soon a team of men dressed in black can running across the lobby. One of the stopped to talk to Jack.
"Mr. Burton have you seen Ali? Margo just called down to tell us to detain him but when we went to his room we found he'd cleared out."
"I'm sorry Frank but you just missed him. He checked out and caught a car for the airport. If you guys hurry you might head him off."
"Thanks but what's the matter you've got a face."
"He called me by name. I never told him my name but more it was the way he said it... I don't know maybe I'm reading more into it. But I've spent my life reading people... it's what I do. About the only talent I have and the way he said my name sent a cold chill up my spine. Do you smell that? His cologne is still hanging in the air."
"Now that you mentioned it. Yes, almost a Jasmine... musk combination. It's kind of over powering."